TRANSLATION OF THE CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR OF “THE KNIGHT IN THE PANTHER’S SKIN” – CORPUS-BASED ANALYSES

Abstract

This study explores the  ontological conceptual metaphor of emotion through the concept of “tear” in “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin” and its two English translations by Wardrop and Coffin. The research is grounded in Cognitive Linguistics and Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980), focusing on the Container schema as the central image schema structuring emotion metaphors. Tears are conceptualized as the overflow of emotional intensity — representing the metaphors “The body is a container for emotion” and “Emotions are fluids.” The study analyzes ontological conceptual metaphors based on the Container image schema and their translations. Using a parallel corpus analysis based on BSU’s digital corpus and the AntConc corpus analyzer, 118 conceptual metaphors were identified in the Georgian original, 104 in Wardrop’s translation, and 88 in Coffin’s. While Wardrop’s translation retains conceptual and image schemas at both macro and micro levels, Coffin often expands or explicates metaphorical expressions, resulting in expressive and cultural shifts.